Historic Board OKs windows for Baptist church

The Historic Board on Monday approved an application to replace the windows of the former Ebenezer Baptist Church located at 409 Poplar St.

The pointed, Gothic-revival style windows are currently made of plastic, and the owner of the property, Sandy Schaerli, and Jack Patchin, owner of Ol' House Experts, want to replace those plastic windows with clear rolled glass manufactured in North Vernon.

Ol' House Experts has been hired to replace the windows at the former church. Patchin spoke before the board about the replacement windows.

"I couldn't believe it when we pulled them out," Patchin said. "We only realized (the windows were plastic) when we pulled them out."

City Preservation Planner Camille Fife said that the replacement of windows would not normally require permission from the board, but because there is a change of material, board approval was needed.

"They thought it would not be a good idea to replace the windows with plastic," Fife said.

Patchin said that they didn't believe the church had stained glass windows and went on to explain that rolled glass, as opposed to float glass which is a newer development in glass manufacturing, would fit the style of the building better.

"We don't really know when the plastic was put in, but originally there was glass," Patchin said. "It would have been a double rolled glass that would have been more appropriate to the time period."

The board voted 4-0 in favor of the application.

In 2002 the church building was rated in the historic board's survey as a notable site.

"It's a wonderful building, and we've all been kind of excited of the idea that a new owner has purchased it," Fife said. "It's been sitting empty for quite a long while."